The Tortuguero National Park is on Costa Rica’s northern tip of the Caribbean coast. Tortuguero means The Place of Turtles. Each year between July and September, thousands of sea turtles climb onto these golden beaches to lay their eggs. If you are here at the right time, you are in with a chance of witnessing one of nature’s great shows – turtles nesting. Later see their offspring hatching and clambering back to the ocean.
Tortuga Lodge is tucked behind the Tortuguero River and the Caribbean sea beyond. This 29-room lodge is surrounded by beautiful plantation-style gardens, and it is the only hotel in the area with its own private nature reserve.
Daily nature walks and boat trips are led by Tortuga’s highly experienced naturalist guides. This is one of the largest protected wildlife zones in Costa Rica, and a vast array of flora and fauna can be found on the river banks and high in the canopies. Look out for three species of monkeys (Spider, Howler, and White-faced), three-toed sloths, and over 320 species of birds. In and around the water, river otters, caiman, iguanas, river turtles, basilisk lizards, and poison dart frogs are seen regularly. Bird-lovers have a chance to spot all six species of kingfishers found in the new world, three species of toucans, and eight species of parrots.